The outage will witness installation of two new steam generators, besides replacement of one-third of the unit’s fuel and other maintenance tasks to prepare the unit for its next operating cycle.
Around 1,500 contractors will assist the plant staff during the outage, which will run a few weeks longer compared to the usual four to eight week duration due to the steam generator replacement.
The steam generator replacement project represents one of the significant investments the company is making in its nuclear plants to ensure continued safe, reliable, carbon-free electricity generation for its customers for the next 20 years.
Each of the two Prairie Island’s 550MW reactors are refueled approximately once every 18 months, and the two steam generators on Unit 1 were replaced in 2004.
When both units are operating, the Prairie Island plant generates enough electricity to power nearly one million homes, according to the company.
Running 24 hours a day, seven days per week, except during refueling outages, Xcel Energy’s Prairie Island and Monticello nuclear generating plants are claimed to be among the company’s lowest-cost sources of generation on a per megawatt-hour basis.
